Holden's Jamie Whincup this year joined racing legends Bob Jane, Allan Moffat and Jim Richards with four touring car titles after another stellar season behind the wheel for Team Vodafone. The 29-year-old, tipped to become the most successful V8 driver of all time, needs just one more championship to equal record holders Mark Skaife, Dick Johnson and Ian Geoghegan. His fourth title in five seasons moved him past Craig Lowndes and Peter Brock. So dominant was Whincup's performance this year, he secured the title in the penultimate race at Winton before celebrating his triumphant season after the Sydney 500 at Sydney Olympic Park. Whincup finished the year with a points tally of 3861, more than 300 in front of Team Vodafone teammate Lowndes. The four-time Bathurst winner claimed victory in 12 of the 30 races this year, including yet another win at Mount Panorama. He started the year with a win in the opening race in Adelaide and stamped his authority on the championship with four consecutive race wins, including three on the same weekend in the UAE.

The lowlight

Two-time MotoGP world champion Casey Stoner shocked the sport when he announced this season would be his last. The decision to announce his pending retirement in May provided the 27-year-old with the ideal motivation to finish his time in the sport with his third championship. But Stoner, who said the decision to hang up the helmet was for ''family reasons'', was unable to get the fairytale finish he desired. At the time of his announcement before the French Grand Prix, Stoner led the championship having won two of the season's three events. But a crash at Indianapolis derailed his campaign, forcing him to have surgery on his ankle and ruling him out of the next three races. He finished fifth and third in his return to racing, but jumped back on top of the podium following his sixth consecutive victory at his home track, Phillip Island. While it was a fitting send-off for the baby-faced father, the victory meant little in the scheme of the championship. Stoner finished the year in third position with 254 points, 96 behind Spanish champion Jorge Lorenzo, who won his second MotoGP title in three years.

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The superstar

The records keep tumbling for German formula one driver Sebastian Vettel. He created history in 2010 by becoming the youngest F1 champion in the sport's history. Today he's the youngest three-time champion. The Red Bull driver started the year with a second at the Australian Grand Prix. He won his first race of the season in the fourth round in Bahrain, but had to wait until the 14th round before he made his way back on top of the podium in Singapore. The victory was the catalyst for a golden period for Vettel, who won four consecutive races to set up his championship assault. Vettel led Fernando Alonso by 13 points before the final race in Brazil. Despite Vettel finishing sixth, Alonso's second-place finish handed him his third championship by just three points.

The issue

We've seen the last of Ford versus Holden. Next year the V8 Supercars will be revolutionised with Nissan and Mercedes-Benz joining the competition. Manufacturing rules have been relaxed, paving the way for a new era in the sport. Nissan's return will end a 20-year exile from the series, with the Kelly Racing Team to be rebranded as Nissan Motorsport in four Altimas. The three Mercedes-Benz E63 AMGs will be run by Stone Brothers Racing in association with Erebus Racing. The Car of the Future scheme will also provide its challenges, with a maximum of $250,000 now allowed per car through the use of control parts.

What's next

Six-time MotoGP champion Valentino Rossi will return to Yamaha next season. The 33-year-old won four of his six championships riding for Yamaha, but has struggled since joining Ducati, finishing seventh and sixth respectively the past two years. He failed to win a race in his two years at Ducati. In August this year, it was announced Rossi would join world champion Jorge Lorenzo at Yamaha, with the pair expected to finish on the podium each week next year. With Stoner retired, expect Lorenzo and Rossi to dominate the MotoGP circuit.

The quote:

''After so many years taking part in this sport that I love, and with all the sacrifices that I have had to make, I no longer have the passion to continue and I think that it is best to stop.'' - Casey Stoner after announcing his pending retirement in May.